Protecting dolphins ends in hospital stay for outspoken man

On Tuesday, August 19th, at about 8:30 pm, City Councilor, Lawrence Makili, was abducted from his home in Honiara, Solomon Islands, by eight men in two cars.

He was then driven a few kilometers out of town when the thugs beat him and tried to kill him. Mr. Makili bravely fought back which was said to have saved his life. He received a broken right arm, fractured ribs, fractured, facial bone, and several other injuries. Mr. Makili has been an outspoken dolphin protector, trying to stop the traffic in captive dolphins in the Solomon Islands.

There are currently five different dolphin capture teams operating in the Solomon Islands. "Anyone of them could be responsible for this," stated Richard O'Barry, Director of Save Japan Dolphins Coalition. Mark Berman of Earth Island Institute said, "Lawrence Makili was a victim of attempted murder, simply for trying to help his country and their wild dolphin population. We will be returning to the Solomon Islands to do everything we can to find out who is responsible and bring them to justice."

At this time, the identities and motivations of the attackers are unclear and no arrests have been made regarding the incident.Mr. Lawrence Makili is a active campaigner to protect forests and has been monitoring the local tuna industry on behalf of Earth Island Institute to ensure the tuna catch is Dolphin Safe.